Here are the results of an interview we conducted with a KLS student who has had previous experience with mental health. This student wishes to remain anonymous.
Q: What is your connection with mental health and how does it affect you?
A: "I’d say that I’m pretty connected with mental health as I’ve always dealt with a mental illness of some sort, and my family does deal with a lot of illnesses. Plus my mother is a mental health professional so I hear and learn about the subject a lot. It’s been a really big part of my life, especially in high school, to the point where it was inhibiting my basic human functions. I had to go through serious mental health rehabilitation for a long time, so I’m pretty familiar with it now."
Q: What was the process of finding a good source of help like?
A: "Finding a good source of help took a long time. I went through a lot of therapists, a lot of medications, had to deal with a lot of side effects, and a lot of getting worse which isn’t very motivating. But in the end I just couldn’t give up. One thing that makes me different from people with smaller mental health issues is that they can just off put it for a little while and take a break, but I can’t do that so I didn’t have a choice about finding something that would work."
Q: What changes to yourself did you have to make and how did those changes go?
A: "I had to make numerous amounts of changes. With ADD, I had to learn how to be constantly tapped into whether i was focused or not, and I had to learn how to find ways to organize myself. With depression and anxiety I had to learn to question and dissect everything I thought and everything that everybody said. That one was probably the most difficult, because I had to become a lot more confident and questioning of the thoughts I had. I also had to learn how important exercise was for me, as well as a constant eating schedule and sleeping schedule. Just generally how vital it is for me to be healthy physically, because that really affects mental health."
Q: What is something you would like other teens to know?
A: "It is worth getting help, and even though it’s scary and it’s not easy and it’s not fun, it is 100% of the time worth it. As much as you want somebody to notice the little things that you are doing, chances are nobody’s gonna do that, so you’ve gotta suck it up and ask for help. That’s the most important thing."
Q: What is something you would like parents to know?
A: "People always have a reason for doing things, so if your teen seems rebellious or bratty, there’s most likely a deeper reason behind it. Communicating with them and asking general questions is really important in forming a good relationship. Don’t be afraid of talking and reaching out about mental health. It’s worth it in the end."